Balogun had been ruled out of the United States' Round of 16 clash against Belgium after receiving a straight red card for a challenge on Bosnia and Herzegovina defender Tarik Muharemović in the previous round. However, FIFA later suspended the automatic one-match ban for a probationary period of 12 months, making the striker available for selection against Belgium.
The decision sparked widespread criticism from European football officials, including the Union of European Football Associations, the Royal Belgian Football Association and England head coach Thomas Tuchel, who questioned the implications of overturning an automatic suspension during a major tournament.
Speaking at the White House on Monday, Trump said he believed the initial decision to send off Balogun was incorrect and confirmed that he had contacted FIFA President Gianni Infantino to request a review.
"I didn't think it was a foul," Trump said, adding that FIFA had "made the right decision" by allowing Balogun to play. He stressed that he had only asked for the incident to be reconsidered and did not instruct FIFA to overturn the suspension.
Trump argued that enforcing the ban would have cast a shadow over the tournament. He also criticised Brazilian referee Raphael Claus, describing the dismissal as "horrible" and suggesting the official was "a little bit suspect."
The Brazilian Football Confederation quickly defended Claus, stating that his professional record was exemplary and provided no grounds to question his integrity.
Infantino later disclosed that, after receiving Trump's call, he informed the US president that the matter was being handled by FIFA's independent judicial bodies and would be decided through the appropriate legal process.
Belgium's attempt to challenge FIFA's ruling was later dismissed by the governing body's Appeal Committee. FIFA explained that the Royal Belgian Football Association was not a party to the original disciplinary proceedings and therefore had no legal standing to appeal the decision.
The ruling means Balogun is eligible to face Belgium in the Round of 16.
Despite the outcome, UEFA, the Belgian federation and Tuchel all warned that the decision could undermine the integrity of the game and create a precedent for future disciplinary cases. FIFA has maintained that its independent judicial bodies operate autonomously and that their decisions must be respected, regardless of public opinion.
